Follow the author of this article

Follow the topics within this article

India’s government imposed central rule on the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand on Sunday, the second time this year it has removed an opposition-led state leadership using a controversial emergency law.

The decision to declare President’s Rule triggered a furious row in parliament where Congress, the main opposition party, accused prime minister Narendra Modi’s BJP of undermining democracy for its own political advantage.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Credit:
EPA

"The BJP-led central government was thirsty for me and my government's blood from day one since I assumed office in February 2014," said Harish Rawat, the state’s sacked Congress chief minister.

Abhishek Singhvi, a Congress spokesman, called the move a “murder of democracy”.

President Pranab Mukherjee sacked the Uttarakhand leadership on the recommendation of Mr Modi’s government after nine local Congress MPs rebelled against their own chief minister, leaving Mr Rawat short of a majority.

President Pranab MukherjeeCredit:
REUTERS

Arun Jaitley, the BJP’s powerful finance minister, denied any political motive, describing the “breakdown of governance” in Uttarakhand as a “text-book case” for enforcing President's Rule.

"I believe there cannot be a better example. For the last nine days, the Constitution was being violated in Uttarakhand," he said.